Introduction
Attackers can remotely bypass authentication and access critical backup infrastructure in some of the world’s largest enterprise environments. This is the real-world impact of CVE-2025-43727, a high-severity vulnerability in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain systems that are widely used for enterprise data protection and disaster recovery. The flaw affects multiple versions of the Data Domain Operating System (DD OS), putting a broad range of organizations at risk of unauthorized access to sensitive backup data and management interfaces.
Dell Technologies is a global leader in enterprise IT infrastructure, with PowerProtect Data Domain as a flagship product for scalable, deduplicated backup and data protection. The platform is deployed in thousands of organizations across critical sectors, making any vulnerability in its authentication mechanisms highly significant for the security of enterprise data worldwide.
Technical Information
CVE-2025-43727 is rooted in an incorrect implementation of authentication algorithms within the RestAPI component of the Dell PowerProtect Data Domain Operating System. This issue is categorized under CWE-303, which covers flaws where authentication algorithms are implemented incorrectly, allowing attackers to bypass intended security controls.
The vulnerability affects the following DD OS versions:
- Feature Release: 7.7.1.0 through 8.1.0.10
- LTS2024: 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.25
- LTS2023: 7.10.1.0 through 7.10.1.50
The RestAPI is responsible for management and automation tasks in Data Domain systems. Due to the flawed authentication logic, an unauthenticated attacker with network access can send crafted API requests that bypass authentication checks. The attacker does not need valid credentials or user interaction, which significantly increases the risk profile of affected systems. The root cause is a failure in how the RestAPI validates authentication tokens or credentials, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive management functions and potentially to backup data itself. No public code snippets or proof of concept exploits are available for this vulnerability.
Patch Information
Dell Technologies has released security updates to address multiple vulnerabilities in the PowerProtect Data Domain Operating System (DD OS). To mitigate these vulnerabilities, it is essential to upgrade to the remediated versions specified below:
- DD OS 8.3: Upgrade to version 8.3.0.10 or later.
- DD OS 7.13.1: Upgrade to version 7.13.1.30 or later.
- DD OS 7.10.1: Upgrade to version 7.10.1.60 or later.
These updates address vulnerabilities across various components, including iDRAC9, Velocity, container-suseconnect, CUPS, Curl, expat, Glib2, Kernel, OpenSSL, and libpcap. By applying these updates, you can enhance the security posture of your PowerProtect Data Domain systems.
For detailed instructions on upgrading the DD OS, please refer to Dell's official documentation:
Additionally, ensure that your system is compatible with the new DD OS versions by consulting the Data Domain Compatibility Matrix.
By promptly upgrading to the specified versions, you can effectively mitigate the identified vulnerabilities and maintain the integrity and security of your data storage systems.
Affected Systems and Versions
CVE-2025-43727 specifically affects the following Dell PowerProtect Data Domain Operating System versions:
- Feature Release versions 7.7.1.0 through 8.1.0.10
- LTS2024 release versions 7.13.1.0 through 7.13.1.25
- LTS2023 release versions 7.10.1.0 through 7.10.1.50
Any system running these versions with the RestAPI component enabled is vulnerable. Both default and custom configurations are affected if the vulnerable RestAPI is accessible over the network.
Vendor Security History
Dell Technologies has previously addressed similar authentication and access control vulnerabilities in its storage and backup products. The company typically issues coordinated advisories and patches, as seen with DSA-2025-159. Dell’s patch response time is generally prompt for critical vulnerabilities, and the vendor maintains a mature security advisory process for its enterprise products.